Editor's Note

The Charge

"You spoke of chance, Grasshopper, as if such a thing were certain to
exist. In the matter you speak of, Destiny, there is no such thing as chance for
whichever way we choose, right or left, it must lead to an end. And that end is
our destiny."- Master Po

Opening Statement

Perhaps the greatest draw of these adventures of the Shaolin monk, Kwai Chang
Caine, was the consistency of his character and the often stark contrast it
provided when set against a conniving Western culture. Following a surprisingly
successful premiere season on the ABC network in 1972 and carried forth during a
second sustained year, the adventures of Caine wrapped up in a third and final
season, presented now in Kung Fu—The Complete Third Season.

Facts of the Case

Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine, Kill Bill) is a Shaolin monk, half
Chinese, half American. Previously banished from his homeland China after
killing the Emperor's nephew in avenging the death of his Master Po (Keye Luke,
Gremlins), Caine is now wandering the
American West of 1872, searching for his half-brother, Danny, while hoping for
the opportunity to someday peacefully return to China and plead his case. His
travels abroad are not without peril, though, as Caine carries a $10,000 bounty
on his head, offered by the Emperor for the renegade priest's capture. As he
entertains honest men and women while thwarting the affronts of all manner of
crooks, thieves, and would-be captors, Caine meditates upon the teachings of
Master Po, applying those lessons and life principles in his daily encounters.
Now, as his travels lead him to finally reunite with Danny, amid much confusion
and deception, Caine can also return to his native China and bring his quest
"full circle."

The Evidence

As the series wraps up and we're afforded the opportunity to take a holistic
view of the entire experience, Kung Fu remains as one of the better
artifacts of modern television. It exists as something of an odd duck but a
welcome one just the same. While other television dramas of the day, largely
police or emergency action shows, were eager to jar viewers into attentiveness,
Kung Fu outclassed its competitors with its absolute absence of
heavy-handed heroics, shrill situations, and assaulting scores. Rather, this
unique "eastern western" was as precise and patient as the Buddhist
philosophy it projected. Each episode, while somewhat predictable in overall
device and resolution, was written to allow ample time to explore the key
characters of the moment and explore their moods and motives. Caine's actions
and reactions would provide commentary, either actively or passively, on the
nature of those he confronted or consoled, offering viewers a rich and rewarding
experience that often settles in some time after the hour-long episode has
ended. The wafting strains of the eastern flute, combined with the uneven yet
undeniably enlightened utterances of Caine himself, would consistently deliver a
show with a mood, a message, and a reason. As it was set in the American West of
1872, the show to this day remains as relevant as it did thirty years ago.

The essence of what makes Kung Fu work so well is the complete
antithesis of current martial arts melees like Kill Bill and Kung Fu Hustle. While many may wistfully
(and incorrectly) ruminate over all of the exciting martial arts action that
flashed across the television screen each week, the fact is that each episode
contains but a few minutes of actual fighting. Resisting the temptation to
replace plot with pummeling, Kung Fu maintained its discipline of
providing thoughtful and insightful excursions into the human animal and emerged
all the better for it. Each show would ultimately feature a display of the
ancient Eastern art of empty-handed combat, still offered in slow-motion action,
allowing the viewers full opportunity to witness all the skill and elegance of
the dance of defense. And while it may seem ridiculous to attempt to present
such subject matter in the same manner today, with home audiences purportedly
requiring non-stop visual assault in order to remain "entertained,"
the truth is that Kung Fu is just as mesmerizing—maybe more
so—because of its minimalist-yet-mature approach. This is a show that
clearly deserves another look, especially by younger generations who may have
missed the original "Kung Fu craze."

As for the episodes, here are the twenty-four you'll find that originally
aired between 1974 and 1975:

In this third and final four-disc boxed set, Warner Brothers Home Video
presents Kung Fu—The Complete Third Season in admirable fashion. As
on the Season Two release, the episodes here are presented here in their
original full-frame broadcast format (thankfully not repeating the Season One
mock letterboxing transgression). The source material telegraphs its Seventies
origin, looking somewhat grainy at times and alternately soft at others. The
colors look good, though (if a bit dusty), and the overall digital rendering is
certainly an improvement above the broadcast quality of three decades ago. The
audio is presented in a Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono mix that's well managed yet
unfortunately constrained to the center channel. The audio elements are well
balanced, though, and the dialogue remains easily intelligible throughout.

The included extras are very worthwhile. Beginning with two episode-specific
commentaries, actor David Carradine freely offers his insight and anecdotes on
"Blood of the Dragon, Part Two" and "Full Circle." His
comments are interesting and his memories apparently quite vivid of episodes
that were filmed over thirty years ago. It's clear that the show and his
career-defining role as Caine hold a special place in his heart. Before the
program matter begins, Carradine also offers a brief introduction to the third
season, filmed atop the Great Wall of China in the bitter cold of winter.
Carradine also attempts to offer a deeper look into the Shaolin mentality in the
set's featurette, "David Carradine's Shaolin Diary: Back to the
Beginning." Intended to culminate in a return visit to the Shaolin Temple,
this slightly off-track yet still interesting travelogue spends more time
exploring Beijing, the Summer Palace, and the Great Wall instead. This isn't to
say that the journey is wasted; not at all. Enjoy the scenery and the
ruminations of Carradine but don't expect to have the mysteries of Shaolin and
Buddhist philosophy unfolded before you.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Clearly the key issue with this final boxed set is the order of the episodes
as presented. It's unmistakable that the overall story wraps up with the
aptly-titled "Full Circle," yet that is presented as the
fourth-to-last episode. While that matter may cause significant disturbance to
Kung Fu enthusiasts, it accurately reflects the original broadcast order
of the final adventures. Certainly, this was an issue that existed back in 1975,
the final episodes being aired irrespective of production order, thereby causing
a bit of confusion for viewers. In fact, it seems the entire final season was
aired in haphazard order despite the actual production schedule. Nonetheless,
thanks to DVD, fans can watch the episodes in proper production order while
maintaining an accurate historical record of the manner in which the series
wrapped up on ABC. The proper "viewing order," by production records,
would be as follows:

While it's common that a television series may shoot particular scripts out
of plot-order, the above production schedule was relatively faithful to the
story developments as the final season progressed. Aficionados may wish to view
"The Vanishing Image" after the two-part "Blood of the
Dragon" episodes and may also elect to screen "The Last Raid" and
"Ambush" immediately following "The Forbidden Kingdom,"
resuming production order thereafter.

"Is it not better to see yourself truly than care about how others
see you?"—Master Po

Closing Statement

Kung Fu continues to be a gem among Seventies television and a welcome
respite from all the imposing "entertainment" that streams across the
cable and digital lines today. The show opens the mind, soothes the soul, and
reminds us how truly imperative good writing and capable acting are to a fully
entertaining experience. To that end, Kung Fu has achieved its goal and
has successfully concluded its journey. It's a show for the ages and,
appropriately, is one that can still be enjoyed by viewers of all ages as each
may find something different to take away from the encounter.

Young Caine: May I ask, Master, when I leave the temple, what will be
expected of me? Master Po: To walk the roads of the land and use
what you have learned for the needs and benefits of the people. Young
Caine: Will I always know when to act and when to stand off? Master
Po: That which you do not know, the doing will quickly teach you.